To John Adams Philadelphia, July 17, 1791

DEAR SIR,

-- I have a dozen times taken up my pen to write to
you and as often laid it down again, suspended between opposing
considerations. I determine however to write from a conviction that
truth, between candid minds, can never do harm.

The first of Paine's pamphlets on the Rights of man, which came
to hand here, belonged to Mr. Beckley. He lent it to Mr. Madison
who lent it to me; and while I was reading it Mr. Beckley called on
me for it, and, as I had not finished it, he desired me, as soon as I
should have done so, to send it to Mr. Jonathan B. Smith, whose
brother meant to reprint it. I finished reading it, and, as I had no
acquaintance with Mr. Jonathan B. Smith, propriety required that I
should explain to him why I, a stranger to him, sent him the
pamphlet. I accordingly wrote a note of compliment informing him
that I did it at the desire of Mr. Beckley, and, to take off a little
of the dryness of the note, I added that I was glad it was to be
reprinted here, and that something was to be publicly said against
the political heresies which had sprung up among us etc. I thought
so little of this note that I did not even keep a copy of it: nor
ever heard a tittle more of it till, the week following, I was
thunderstruck with seeing it come out at the head of the pamphlet. I
hoped however it would not attract notice. But I found on my return
from a journey of a month that a writer came forward under the
signature of Publicola, attacking not only the author and principles
of the pamphlet, but myself as it's sponsor, by name. Soon after
came hosts of other writers defending the pamphlet and attacking you
by name as the writer of Publicola. Thus were our names thrown on
the public stage as public antagonists. That you and I differ in our
ideas of the best form of government is well known to us both: but we
have differed as friends should do, respecting the purity of each
other's motives, and confining our difference of opinion to private
conversation. And I can declare with truth in the presence of the
almighty that nothing was further from my intention or expectation
than to have had either my own or your name brought before the public
on this occasion. The friendship and confidence which has so long
existed between us required this explanation from me, and I know you
too well to fear any misconstruction of the motives of it. Some
people here who would wish me to be, or to be thought, guilty of
improprieties, have suggested that I was Agricola, that I was Brutus
etc. etc. I never did in my life, either by myself or by any other,
have a sentence of mine inserted in a newspaper without putting my
name to it; and I believe I never shall.

While the empress is refusing peace under a mediation unless
Oczakow and it's territory be ceded to her, she is offering peace on
the perfect statu quo to the Porte, if they will conclude it without
a mediation. France has struck a severe blow at our navigation by a
difference of duty on tob[acc]o carried in our and their ships, and
by taking from foreign built ships the capability of naturalization.
She has placed our whale oil on rather a better footing than ever by
consolidating the duties into a single one of 6. livres. They
amounted before to some sous over that sum. I am told (I know not
how truly) that England has prohibited our spermaceti oil altogether,
and will prohibit our wheat till the price there is 52/ the quarter,
which it almost never is. We expect hourly to hear the true event of
Genl. Scott's expedition. Reports give favorable hopes of it. Be so
good as to present my respectful compliments to Mrs. Adams and to
accept assurances of the sentiments of sincere esteem and respect
with which I am Dear Sir